Managing interactive systems for user effectiveness

Abstract

The management of interactive systems at IBM's Thomas J. Watson Research Center is based on the assumptions that the user's time and work product are valuable, and that the system he uses should be managed so that his ability to work is enhanced with least inconvenience to him. Within the financial limits on hardware and people it is possible to provide high quality interactive computing services which approach these objectives by placing highest priority on system reliability and availability followed by performance improvements and introduction of new functions. We find, first, that it is essential to maintain a management commitment to the goal of good service to the laboratory, and second, that published service schedules must be adhered to. At the same time, it is necessary to realize that users will have special problems, and management must be willing to work out solutions for these users. The computer operator has as his goal to keep the system up, and system programmers must avoid system changes which jeopardize stability.